Actuated christmas tree ornament



Sept. 16, 1952 1.. D. BURGESSER v ACTUATED CHRISTMAS TREE ORNAMENT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Filed Sept. 6, 1950 INVENTOR.

K/M W Sept. 16, 1952 BURGESSER 2,611,014

ACTUATED CHRISTMAS 'IIREE ORNAMENT Filed Sept. 6, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

' lealdeflfiu geasez 3Q i/M P 1952 L. D. BURGESSER 2,611,014

ACTUATED CHRISTMAS TREE ORNAMENT Filed Sept. 6, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet a Patented Sept. 16, 1952 me R ST FTE E TN ME 1 -Lesli -n Burge's ser, chimes- 111.,essigiisr'to" I Wells,Iiihghhbrporatiohiif Illinois This invention relates to an actuated orhamental unit-and more-particularly to 'an'actuated bell 'ringing unit adapted to be" se' l f;=.supportihg and c'onnected-t'o the ordinary light "socket of Christmas tree light strand.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved actuated bell ringing unit of the character described. v

- Another object is the provision of novel means for attaching the unit we limb of the tree -or the like to hold the unit in upright position.

' Another object is the provision of means for supporting-the operatingstruct-ure of the unit removably within a housing r Another object is the provision of novel means for cooling the operating structure of the unit.

Another object is the provision of structure for supporting the bell in such amanner as toprevent the core of the operating-solenoid from removing itself itherefrom operation of thedevicer I M Other objectsand a'dvantages' will be'a'pparent from the following descriptiori' talgen 'i-ii' 'conn'e'c tion with an er'nbodimentoi the invention shown in the drawings, in 'whi'ch: Q

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical view of a Christmas treeshowing a light strand thereon and the iiiiit of this invention; Fig. 2' isan elevation'al plan view of the unit; Fig. 3 is atop planview; Fig. 4 is a bottom view; Fig. 5 is asectional view taken through the approximate center of the unit as indicated by lineiE -S i n Fig- 3; Figrfi-is a vertical g2 part n fr'o iifthe spirita'nd scobe er the'iii'vntidn as discloseii in the'appejndedclaims' i v Fig. 1 illustrate'sfa Christmas tree 15. ha' tl 'eredna"light-strandJ7 containing a pin off 'light'socl ts for v the reception or colored christma ti e igms. interrupter IB' s terposed in the wall socket supplyingelectrici to the strand and-causes an intermittent flo electricity to the light secret-s i n' the wam; i p interrupter'may' be a coinmercialtiipe; either one that breaks the circuit orone that diminishes'the Voltage substantially amp-pas a high re aroii'r idthe break point. -'I;lie unitioi thlfsm fi t i' d e i is h e se, i were sockets'of t-h e strand 1;? as indicated gener W at H? in Fig: 1: When-a ached in this'iio'sitlori; thebell will be rufig with each intermittent surge of'eletricityto' the uis infgenrai, the unit comprises asole-mid Winding 26 having a core 2 I! operatively ei inected to abell 2250 as to ri-hg the bell With ach ativa-tlonbf the solenoid. Ali6li 11395 23 having an uppercov'er 24- and atta means projecting from the cover is {provided around the solenoid for supporting the unit the limb of a Christmastree or the like The solenoid winding 28 is made upona "nylon. spool having a projection 25 at one end which i'sprovided with a r'netal cap 2'5 screw-threaded so that it may be received inthe ordinary female I light socket 28 of the strand of' Chrifstmalstree'e sectional view taken as shown by line 6==6 'i'nFig.

3; Fig.. 7 is ahorizontal view taken as shownby line 1-! in Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a horizontalsectional View taken along line 8--8 inFig; 5 Fig; a view: similar to Fig.- 8 taken-alongline., =9" in Fig; 6 Fig 10 is a horizontal sectional iview ta-ken asindicated byline l-fl-IIl-'in-Fig-;-5*;-Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary View of the connection be-' tween the housing and cover taken' as indic'ated' by line ll--| l in Fig. 8;"Fi'g. 12 isan enlarged fragmentary view of the supportingseat wit 1'1" the housing taken as indicated byline 2-l 2?1n-' Fig. 9; Fig. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary v ievir' of the bell supporting structure shown iii-Fig. 5;

Fig. 14 is a-viewpartlyin section ofthe'lirik bescribe certain embodiments of my invention-, it isto' be understood that it' is capablefoiinianvmodi fications, Changes, thereforeim the construc tion' and arrangement mavbeiii'side without" delights. Another typeof electrical-connection be used if desired, such as a pronged r'n'alf member: with a corresponding female socket; The core 2| is movable c'oaxially' within the-spool 25 and upon energizing the solenoid the core is drawn into the-s'pool. I I

oAiplate .30 is' secured. to thebottoin of the spool: 25 and has a pair of fingers 311 and 32 extending outwardly beyond the circumference of the sole" noid. The fingers 3| and 32 are adapted tribereceived in' seats 33 and 3fliformed in the interior wall of the housing 23.. As best seen: in FigrQ the housing has avfour leaved clover cross sectional outline and the fingers ofthe plateBfl may beturnedso asgto missacontact with the'seats;.or;

srdvisa with spac'c'l notches 3 fbrengagemeiit by corres onding projections 38 on the housing 23. As indicated in Figs. -7, the cover and housing are spaced apart when assembled so that air may escape between them. Once the unit is assembled, it is contemplated that the purchaser will have no occasion to take it apart. However, for convenience of assembly in manufacture, the units are provided with easily assembled parts.

The cover is molded with a pair of slots in its upper portion for the reception of base portions 42 and 43 of supporting arms 40 and 4|. A split spring ring 44 is made to engage notches in the base portions 42 and 43 (Fig. 5) to hold the supporting arms securely within the housing. The arms are made of relatively thin spring steel and are provided with hooked portions 45 and 46 normally spaced apart as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5, and normally disposed in the same plane but which may be pressed together to overlap the hooks around a limb 48 as illustrated in Fig. 2. To engage the hOOks on a limb, the arms are positioned with the limb between them after which they are pressed together to overlap the hooks. The limb is placed in the overlapping hooks (Fig. 5) after which the arms are released to bind against the limb. In this position, the hooks each have two points of contact with the limb and hold the unit securely in upright position. There results a twisting engagement with the limb by the cooperative action of the hooks as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Novel means are provided for pivotally or swingably supporting the bell. Herein this means takes the form of a member 50, integral wtih plate 30, extending downwardly and at the side of the solenoid. As best seen in the detail of Figs. 13-15, a bell supporting member 5| is pivotally attached at one end to the member 5|). The other end of the member 5| is connected by link 52 to the lower end of the core 2| of the solenoid. The bail 53 of the bell is rigidly attached to the bell and is provided with notches 55 and 58 at its apex. The member 5| is provided with a slot into which the apex of the bail fits with notch 58 engaging the sides of member 5| and a finger 54 being turned over into the notch 55. Thus 'the bell, its bail and member 5| are assembled to move together as a unit. The link 52 is formed as shown in Fig. 14 having similar halves on each side of member 5|' and engaging the core. A projection 56 on the end of member 5| adjacent the link 52 prevents the link from swinging beyond the end of member 5|. Thus, as illustrated in Fig. 5, the link 5| cannot get past the projection 56, preventing the core 2| from sliding out of the spool of the solenoid. Without this projection in the path of the link 52 the core would be able to drop out of the spool after each deenergization of 'the solenoid.

In operation the solenoid is energized drawing the core 2| upwardly into the spool 25. The clapper 51 on the bell 22 stays in the position illustrated mainly by its own inertia as the bell is swung about the pivot of the bell supporting member 5|. By this arrangement the clapper strikes the bell both when the solenoid is energized and when it is deenergized. Moreover, with each impact of the hell with the clapper, the clapper is moved and upon falling back to its normal position strikes the bell to produce a sec ondary ringing.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings, it will be noted that the bell is mounted eccentrically of the solenoid. As the solenoid is energized, the bell moves from the solid line position in Fig. 2 to the dotted line position in Fig. 2 upwardly toward the lower open end of the housing. This action is rather quick and forces air into the space between the housing 23 and the solenoid. In fact, the movement of the bell acts as a pump forcing air in and around the solenoid to cool it as it is operated.

To provide for fluctuations in the current supplied to the device, a conventional light 10 is connected in series with the solenoid 20. The light bulb is used to aid in maintaining the coil of the solenoid cool in operation. The lines 1| leading to the light 10 pass between the housing 23 and the cover 24 of the unit and are connected in series with the windings of the solenoid. The light takes part of the load from the solenoid and in addition acts in part as a regulator during line voltage fluctuations. It also adds to the attractiveness of the device by shining a light on the bell.

The housing and cover are generally constructed of plastic material and may be given a configuration suitable to pleasing design and to provide the air spaces around the solenoid as described above. The connections between the housing and cover provide easy assembly since the plastic material has some resiliency and the exertion of pressure thereon will cause suflicient bending to allow the pieces to be connected. The core is also easily assembled in the housing by turning the fingers to engage their respective seats. The cover holds the core within the housing and the supporting arms are rigidly attached to the housing to support the unit.

I claim:

1. An ornamental bell ringing unit comprising a solenoid having a movable core therein, a pivotally supported bell operatively attached to the core to cause the bell to move about its pivot upon movement of the core, a freely hanging clapper in the bell, a housing supporting the solenoid, a cover attached to the housing, and a pair of opposed semi-flexible arms attached to and extending outwardly from the cover, said arms having hooked portions at their free ends and being spaced apart when unrestrained whereby the unit may be fastened to a limb of a tree or the like and held in a predetermined fixed position.

2. -An ornamental bell ringing unit compr ing a solenoid having a spool provided with a male member adapted to be received in a corresponding female electrical socket, a molded housing about the solenoid having walls spaced therefrom and a plurality of supporting seats formed in the interior of said walls, a plate secured to the solenoid and having fingers receivable in said seats to support the solenoid within the housing, a bell pivotally supported adjacent one end of the solenoid, a clapper within the bell and a core movable axially within the solenoid and operatively connected with the bell to cause movement thereof with movement of the core. 1

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the plate has an integral portion extending away from the solenoid for supporting the bell eccentrically of the solenoid and a bell supporting member is swingably attached to said portion. I

4. An ornamental bell ringing unit comprising a solenoid adapted to be connected withanintermittent source of electrical energy. a core movable axially within the solenoid, a housing about the solenoid having walls spacedjtherefrom, means for supporting the solenoid in the housing, a cover attached to one end of the housing and having a cross-sectional configuration difiering from that of the housing to provide air passage ways between the housing Walls and the cover, and a pivotally supported bell at the other end of the housing operatively attached to said core, said bell being provided with a clapper.

5. In an electrical bell ringing unit having a solenoid provided with a movable core operatively attached to the bell to cause movement thereof and the bell having a clapper, cooling means for the solenoid comprising, a housing about the solenoid in spaced relation thereto, a bell supporting member pivoted at one end at a point to one side of the solenoid, a link securing the other end of said member to the core of the solenoid, and the bell being attached to the supporting member between the ends thereof whereby energizing said solenoid pulls the core into the solenoid and moves the bell toward the unit to force air into the space between the solenoid and housing.

6. A bell ringing unit comprising, a solenoid having means connecting it to an intermittent source of electrical energy, a core movable axially within the solenoid, a bell having a bail providing a loop externally and an eye internally for supporting a clapper, bell supporting means attached to said bail and extending laterally of the bell for pivotally suspending the bell from the solenoid, link means connecting said supporting means and the core and stop means for limiting the pivotal movement of the link around the bell supporting member to prevent the core from removing from the solenoid.

'7. A bell ringing unit comprising a solenoid having means connecting it to an intermittent source of electrical energy, a core movable axially within the solenoid upon energization or deenergization thereof, means for supporting the unit in upright position, a bell having a clapper and a bail, a bell supporting member affixed to the bail and pivotally secured at one end below the solenoid and at one side thereof, a link connecting the other end of the member to the end of the core, said link having portions astride the bell supporting member, and an integral projection on said member positioned in the path of the link preventing movement thereof be- 5 yond the end of the member whereby the link and bell supporting member prevent the core from falling out of the solenoid upon deenergization thereof.

8. A bell ringing unit having a clapper in the bell and comprising a solenoid having means connecting it to an intermittent source of electrical energy, a core movable axially within the solenoid upon energization or deenergization thereof, means for supporting the unit in upright position, a plate afiixed to the lower end of the solenoid provided with a downwardly extending portion adjacent the side of the solenoid, a bell supporting member having one end pivotally connected to said downwardly extending portion, a link connecting the other end of said member to the core, a bell having a bail provided with a notch in one side thereof, said bell supporting member being provided with a slot for receiving said bail and a finger adapted to engage said notch to secure the bell to the member and a projection on said member positioned in the path of the link limiting movement of the link about the end of the member whereby said core is retained in the solenoid during operation of the unit.

9. An ornamental bell ringing unit having a clapper in the bell and comprising a solenoid connected with an intermittent source of electricalenergy, a housing about the solenoid for supporting the same, said housing being spaced from the solenoid to provide air passages between said walls and solenoid, means for removably supporting the unit in upright position and a core movable within the solenoid upon energization ordeenergization of the solenoid, said core being operatively connected with a bell to ring the same upon movement of the core.

LESLIE D. BURGESSER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 802,675 Avert Oct. 24, 1905 1,231,298 Reinker June 25, 1917 2,470,047 Nicorvo May 10, 1949 2,515,439 Bronson July 18, 1950 2,546,389 Damast Mar. 27, 1951 I 

